


Best Mistakes

by fivesecondsofmae



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Ash is a famous writer but like things fucked up so he goes back home, Inspiration, Lashton - Freeform, Luke Hemmings/Ashton Irwin Fluff, Luke's a pianist whose kind of all over the place, M/M, and he meets luke, ashton has a daughter, lashton smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-22 23:10:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4854173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fivesecondsofmae/pseuds/fivesecondsofmae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a film adaptation for his famous book falls through, Ashton takes his young daughter back home to Sydney in the hopes of sorting things out and finding inspiration for a new book. But when he gets there, he meets Luke, a pianist whose complex and beautiful and he's absolutely drawn to him. Maybe Ashton's muse won't be found in the city, but in the blond guy who loves hard and plays harder.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Mistakes

Ashton felt weird. How else could he explain it? The last time he walked along this pavement, the Sydney Opera House acting as a backdrop, he had been eighteen years old. And now, now he was holding the hand of his four year old daughter rather than the hand of his ex-girlfriend and was twenty-five. He had a beard now too.

Yeah, it felt weird. Nothing had gone the way Ashton had planned it to, at all, in fact.

Things that were planned: 

Write a book: Check.

Get said book published: Check.

Leave Sydney with girlfriend: Check.

Go to New York: Check.

 

Things that were not planned:

Said girlfriend falling pregnant at age 21: Check.

Becoming a dad: Check.

Absolutely falling in love with daughter: Check.

Girlfriend cheating: Fucking Check.

Girlfriend leaving: Check.

Film adaptation of book written utterly falling through: Again, FUCKING CHECK.

Moving back home: Yup, you guess it, check.

 

So yeah, Ashton felt weird.

 

He looked down at Zelda. She, without a doubt, was the best thing he never planned, and he watched with a smile as she took in the new surroundings. Her curly blonde hair was getting too long really, so Ashton had tied it up into two little space buns. She grinned at everything. She has done since she was a baby. And she grinned then, and asked “This is where you lived, Daddy?”

When she pointed at the opera house, Ashton had to laugh gently. “Yeah.” He said, swinging the girl up into his arms so he could carry her. “Not right there, but here.”

They walked for a while until they reached a small café Ashton used to go into often and he bought Zelda an ice cream, sitting her down beside him at a table in the corner.

They had only arrived back in Aus that morning, and although Ashton was tired, jet lagged, and quite depressed if he was honest, Zelda was wide awake and he decided perhaps fresh air would be the best thing for the pair of them.

He hadn’t rung his mother yet, even though he knew she would be ecstatic to see them both. He just needed to work everything out, especially in his head. He felt a total mess. He was absolutely certain he would not be moving back into his mother’s house, despite his love for her, and had rented an apartment just outside the centre of the city so he could have some privacy.

It was not that he did not love his family, or that he wanted to be apart from them, but the truth was Ashton was embarrassed, no matter how many times people told him he should not be, he was. He was upset as well. Everyone in New York had made so many promises, and promises that they could not keep. He just needed to be out of the city that told him he could make it and then did not give him the chance.

Ashton could feel his phone vibrating and checking on Zelda, he answered it.

“Ash, how’s it going? How’s the apartment?” It was Michael. Michael and Ashton had been friends since they were young teenagers, and Michael had soon become his agent. It was Michael that kept his career going, and it had been Michael’s idea for Ashton to go home with Zelda for a few months, take some time to relax, and come up with an idea for a new book. And god, Michael believed in him. He had sorted out the apartment for them, and would soon be back in Sydney to cheerlead his best friend on.

“Yeah, the apartment’s great. Thanks Mike. Are you still in LA?” Ash asked, wiping away ice cream that Zelda had gotten around her mouth. She smiled back at him.

“Yeah, I’ll be back in a week or so. I just need to finish up a deal with Forbes and then I’ll be home. How’s my favourite girl?”

“Zelda’s fine-”

“I meant your mum.” Michael laughed. “I’m joking. How are they both?”

“I’ve not seen mum yet and Zel’s fine. We’re eating ice cream. Organic ice cream.” Ash told him.  

“Good. Eat ice cream. Be happy. Write your fucking book.”

“You’re so lucky you’re not on speakerphone.”

“I know, I know, otherwise you’d kill me. Look, I’m going to have to go, but settle in, relax, and I’ll see you soon, ok.”

“Ok.” Ashton sighed.

“And give Zelda a hug from her uncle Michael.” With a click Michael had hung up and Ashton put his phone away and focussed on his daughter.

He was going to have to convince himself this was the right thing to do – coming back home. And he needed a sign to tell him so.

* * *

By the time Ashton had taken Zelda back to the apartment, the little girl had fallen asleep in his arms, the jet lag finally catching up with her. Ashton rested her down on the big leather sofa and draped tonnes of blankets over her, needing to unpack.

The apartment was pretty amazing. It was only two bedrooms, but both were huge and the living room was open plan with a solid kitchen and dining area in. They were the ninth floor up and so had a beautiful view of the buildings and lights and the opera house a little in the distance out of the extraordinarily big windows. Ashton went and stood outside on the balcony that held onto the living space and closed the door behind him.

He knew he should not feel as terrible as this. Sure, the film had fallen through, but by all accounts, he was insanely successful for how old he was. His debut novel had reached number 1 on the New York Times best seller list and it had stayed there for two months. A million copies of his books had been sold and he’d been on interviews all over the US. People he’d never met knew his name. Teenage girls had crushes on him. He had money to support his family and a few luxuries. He’d done what he’d set out to do. So why was he depressed?

He needed to sort himself out. Michael was right. He needed to buckle down, find inspiration in one form or another, and write a new book. 

* * *

 

_I don’t even know if I hate you, I just fucking hate that you tore everything we built together apart so easily._

Ashton sighed. He was sat in the living room the next morning, his laptop in front of him and a cup of coffee causing his thick rimmed glasses to steam up. Zelda sat on the floor across from him, staring up at Looney Tunes cartoons that were playing on the television. She was wrapped up in her Elsa and Anna pyjamas and a blanket too, the air conditioning of the apartment making it not feel like the Australian summer whatsoever.

He could not write. He tried, but all that came out looked nothing like prose and so he shut the laptop down and instead joined Zelda. Once it finished, Ashton looked at the time and realised he was definitely not going to get anything done unless he got ready now.

“Zelda, go and put on some clothes please sweetheart, we’re going to go see Grandma.” Ashton told her and watched the little girl stand up, drop the blanket and run towards him.

“We’re going to see Grandma?” She squealed. Ashton was glad that he and the ex had made Zelda watch so many Australian shows that they had grown up watching because now she had the cutest mixture of an American accent and an Australian one. It had New York as her place of birth and she did have dual nationality, but he was glad she still sounded like him.

“Yup! Go get ready and we’ll get some of Daddy’s favourite sweets for you to try on the way.” At that, she grinned so widely and ran off and down the hall to find the clothes Ashton had unpacked and left on her fresh bed for her.

He’d showered as soon as he’d awoken and so stood waiting patiently for Zelda in a Metallica t-shirt and a camo jacket, his skinny jeans on and his freshly cut but still long hair pushed back out of his glasses protected eyes.

He packed a bag quickly, grabbing Zelda’s favourite toys and one of her little jackets incase she got cold later and was ready to go by the time she came running back to him in her black jeans and Halsey t-shirt that Auntie Halsey had specially made for her as a leaving gift back in New York. Ashley had become one of Ashton’s best friends soon after he and his ex had arrived in the city and he knew her before she was the superstar she had become. He was so unbelievably proud of the woman he referred to as a sister.

He tied Zelda’s long hair up with a hairband that he always kept on his wrist. He actually wore two, one for him and one for Zelda, just in case they were needed urgently.

“Come on love. Let’s go.”

The rental car that Michael had organised for Ashton was pretty nice. Ashton had never been into cars greatly but he appreciated the silver paint work of the ford and the spacious inside of it too. Buckling Zelda in, he drove the familiar route to his mother’s.

* * *

“I’m not wearing a suit.” Was the first thing Luke said when Calum informed his housemate that he was having guests over from work that night. Luke sat sprawled out across the bigger sofa, his long legs taking up most of it, eyes glued to the television screen until Calum had spoken.

“Of course not, it’s not the fucking Oscars.” Calum had replied with a roll of the eyes. Considering Luke was one of the most promising up and coming pianists in the city, he really could be a little baby sometimes.

Despite that, Calum still loved his best mate who he had worked with numerous times on projects. All Calum had ever wanted to do was make films, and when he’d been surprisingly left an unbelievable amount of money from a relative, it had kick started his film production company that Luke often assisted with his music. They were a fantastic team and they were making brilliant films.

The guests coming over were some of his crucial partners and a possibly one of Calum’s most favourite authors. Ashton Irwin. The guy who had written Golden Greif, cited as one of the best books of the new decade, and Calum could not bloody wait.

He would, of course, act professional, but if Michael could have swung this for him, it would be awesome. He’d known Michael for years through mutual friends, and although their professional paths did not always cross, Michael could have just presented him with the best idea ever.

“Please be normal ok, I’m going to cook dinner, it is all going to be great.” Calum told him.

“Normal huh? It’s not a secret that I’m just a reject.” Luke muttered, stretching his back.

“What are you even quoting? That’s so cliché.”

“I’m quoting myself you, wank sock.” Luke told him before laughing at Calum’s frustrated expression. “Look, I’ll be on my best behaviour, ok. I promise. But I’m not going to wear a shirt that needs ironing.”

* * *

“I’m not wearing a suit, Michael.” Ashton closed his eyes, shutting down the view of his mother cuddling Zelda. They had been over for a few hours at his childhood home and his mum had not stopped making a fuss of them both. His sister and brother were both out, but he was bound to see them at some point soon.

“Why did you say I would go? I don’t even know these people and you want me to go and have dinner with them?” Ashton felt his blood pressure literally rise. Michael was rather impulsive and had organised him to attend.

“Listen to me, Calum Hood’s an old friend, and he’s a fantastic director. Just go see what he’s like with a few members of his team, have a good evening, this is just to get to know him. He might be just what you need.” Michael tried to convince his best friend through the phone.

“Mike, it didn’t work ok. It didn’t work in New York and it’s not going to work now.”

“Look, stop thinking like that. Stop it. This book that you have written, people adore it. I adore it. It is a modern masterpiece and the world should see it in the form of a film. But none of that matters tonight, ok. All you need to do is go and have a chat and see if you like Calum. That’s all. If it doesn’t feel right, you don’t have to do a thing. But please, go for me.”

Ashton thought it over, opening his eyes to see how happy Zelda was, sitting in-between her grandma and the dog Indie.

“I’ll see if my mum can have Zelda. And I’ll think about it.” Ashton all but hung up and a second later received a text with Calum’s address. Perhaps he would go. It would be one night. And he’d do it to make Michael happy. Even if he did like this Calum guy, Ashton did not think he could go through what he did in New York. He did not want to hear empty promises. One night. One dinner. That was it.

* * *

At eight o’clock, Ashton rocked up to the address he’d been sent and found himself standing on the doorstep of a nice detached house in the west of Sydney. When he was a kid, they used to call this area the posh area and felt a laugh in him at the fact that that was where he now stood.  

His mum had been insanely excited to look after Zelda and the little girl seemed more than happy to stay and bake cupcakes and wait for her aunt and uncle to get home to see them.

And so there Ash was, dressed in the same clothes he had worn earlier, his glasses hanging from his t-shirt, and when he rang the doorbell and waited for it to open, he had kind of expected an older guy wearing pastel colours standing on the threshold. But that definitely was not what he got.

* * *

Luke opened the door lazily, swinging it wide, eyes closed in pure annoyance.

“For the fucking 20th time, I don’t want to buy vacuum bags!-Oh, sorry, I thought you were the kleeneaze guy…”

The guy with blonde curling hair and definitely not a guy selling anything laughed, and rocked back on his heels.

“I’m here to see Calum Hood?” The man asked his housemate’s name like a question.

Luke was confused. Surely this was not Ashton Irwin, the guy who sold like thousands of books and was making mega money that Calum had invited over. Before Luke could say anything, he felt a hand on his shoulder from behind and saw Calum right there.

“Hey man, I’m Calum!” The dark haired boy reached forward to extend a hand and Ashton shook it, a small smile on his lips. “Please, come in!”

Luke stepped back to allow the stranger into the large hallway.

“I’m so glad you could make it!” He could hear the smile in Calum’s voice without even seeing him directed the dark blonde down to the same room.

“My pleasure.” He heard Ashton say.

“This is my housemate and colleague, Luke. Luke, this is Ashton.” Calum smiled on as the pair of them shook hands.

“Come inside, dinner’s nearly ready. I made lasagne and vegetarian lasagne for this one so you’re welcome to either?” Calum offered.

“I’ll go for the veggie if that’s all right?” Ashton said politely.

Luke might have been annoyed at the prospect of sharing his food if it was not for the attractiveness of the blond nor the fact that he might be vegetarian too.

Calum smirked and glanced at Luke briefly. “Of course! Come, have a beer.”

* * *

By half ten, once everyone had finished eating, Calum was still chatting away happily to Ashton who looked a lot more relaxed than he did when he first arrived. He and Calum sat next to one another at the dining table, using hands to talk loudly.

Luke had drunk half a bottle of wine, and his head felt a little drunk but also very happy. He was twenty two, but sometimes he liked being childish and spontaneous. He sat quietly, not involved in a conversation, but sitting in the middle of one, and looked over at his best friend and the author next to him.

He was trying to imagine what the guy’s life must be like. Did he have a girlfriend? A boyfriend? What was his favourite book, Luke wondered. He could not deny that the guest was insanely attractive. His dark blonde hair, and that wide, gracious smile. He was kind of beautiful and Luke was disgusted at himself for staring at the guy, and particularly when hazel eyes stared back at him.

Ashton looked slightly amused, and Luke could not stop the reddening of his cheeks, and so without a word, he excused himself from the room and headed across the hall and into the studio in which he and Calum shared. There were two desks, and a grand piano that Luke had that pleasure of playing. It fit so well in the large space of the room.

He put the bottle of wine down on the floor, for nothing would touch his baby, and sat down to open up the keys.

He did not know what to play, and he did not care. He just wanted to play. He wanted to play the thoughts away. He knew why he felt so shit and he wished he could change it. He wished he was happy, but he just was not. He wished his ex-boyfriend was not a dick. He wished his dad would take his music seriously. He wished he was not such an angry cliché.

He played until his fingers hurt, and when he looked up, he was surprised to see Ashton standing at the doorway, a look of apprehension on the man’s face.

“Are you ok?” He asked warily, not stepping in the room any further. “Calum wondered if you wanted dessert.”  

“No, thanks.” Luke replied.

“Is that to both questions?” Ashton asked, stepping inside a little further as something about Luke made him seem approachable. Luke had kind of built walls around himself, and when people came closer, he was scared they would try and knock them down.

Luke just breached a smile and did not say anything, waiting for the guy to leave.

Or was he? Luke was a little taken in by the man, though he would never admit that out loud to Calum. He kind of wanted the blond to pull up a seat and listen to him play.

“You better get some of that cake before the vultures do.” Luke smiled.

“It’s ok, I think it has gelatine in anyway.” Ashton said, looking around the room at all the equipment they’d accumulated. “This is awesome.”

“It’s a techno haven.” Luke agreed, looking at all the computer editing screens on the desks and all the film posters that hung on the walls. “So, you only just arrived back in Sydney, I hear?”

“Yeah…I was in New York for a while, but we’re home for now.” Ashton said, and before Luke could ask who ‘we’ was, Calum appeared at the doorway.

“THIS is where the magic happens.” Calum laughed, and Ashton joined him, seemingly comfortable with Calum as the dark haired man patted him on the shoulder.

“Calum, thanks for dinner, but I need to head off now and pick my girl up.” Ashton apologised and Luke felt a pain in his chest hearing those words.

Of course he was taken. Ugh. Luke needed to finish the bottle of wine and sleep. So that’s what he did. He muttered a quick bye to their guest, took his wine and went up to his bedroom, leaving the two men talking.

* * *

Ok, it was not a terrible night. In fact, Ashton actually had a lot of fun with Calum and his friends. Michael was right, Calum was a cool guy and Ashton found his enthusiasm contagious. He had not mentioned the book, other than that he loved it apparently, and that comforted Ashton. They spoke about anything and everything, and realised that they’d spent their younger summer’s at the same youth club for a few years but had never crossed paths.

As Ashton drove back to his mum’s, he found himself smiling. Maybe he would not write a new book, maybe he needed to come back to Sydney just to live for a while. He was not sure.

The only unnerving thing about the night at been the guy.

The outrageously stunning blonde boy with the sharpest blue eyes and the lip ring and the Green Day shirt. Ok, their introduction had been laughable really, but all night he wanted to look over at the boy, and when he did, Luke seemed to be in his own little world, eyes on his wine, until Ashton had locked eyes with him.

Those pretty cheeks of his had gone bright red and when he’d gotten up and left the room, Ashton was worried he’d made him feel bad. He did not really know what he’d say when he caught up with him, but seeing the man there, his fingers working so well on the beautiful piano, Ashton was in awe.

It sounded incredible and completely unpredictable and Ashton loved that. There was something about him and Ashton had no idea what it was. Maybe he would have to find out.


End file.
